1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a service using the Internet, and more particularly, to a method for operating an Internet site which encrypts and provides songs or video images. The present application is based on Korean Patent Application No. 2000/4052 filed Jan. 27, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently the number of Internet service providers who provide encrypted contents on the Internet has increased rapidly. Here, encrypted contents means the contents of songs or videos that are encrypted using an encryption key unique to a user. That is, a site server that provides encrypted contents encrypts songs or videos with an encryption key unique to a user and then downloads them to the user's computer. At this time, if an encryption key that is stored in the site server is identical to a user-unique encryption key stored in the user's computer, the encryption of the content is deciphered using the encryption key and then the encrypted content can be reproduced through a computer-dedicated player.
That is, using a computer, a user receives encrypted content from a site server, and in order to reproduce received encrypted content, an encryption key to decipher the encrypted content and a computer-dedicated player are required. Also, the encryption key and computer-dedicated player are provided by the site server.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for showing in detail the operating method of the conventional Internet site providing encrypted contents.
Referring to FIG. 1, in order for a user to successfully receive encrypted content and then reproduce it in a computer, the user must access the corresponding Internet site (10), register as a member by providing personal information, and then log in (12). Then, the user receives an encryption key unique to the user from the site server, and stores (14) the key in the user's computer, requests download (20) of a computer-dedicated player to the site server, and then installs (22) the player in his computer.
Also, considering, for example, the user's computer as a medium, the user receives the encrypted content in a portable player (18), and to reproduce the content, an extended program (16) must be installed in the user's computer. Through the extended program (16) installed in the user's computer, the portable player (18) can receive the user-unique encryption key from the site server and store the key. Further, the portable player (18) can receive encrypted content from the site server, and reproduce the content by deciphering the received encrypted content with a previously stored user-unique encryption key.
As such, when an encryption key and a dedicated player or an extended program are installed in a user's computer, a series of processes (26-30) in which encrypted content is downloaded from the site server, and reproduced through a dedicated player 24 installed in the user's computer or the portable player 18, can be carried out.
In the conventional method, however, it is difficult to sequentially perform this series of processes. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, if a user accesses the Internet site, a log-in menu (12), a menu for downloading (20) the computer-dedicated player, and a content selection menu (26) are displayed at the same time. Therefore, a user who does not know that the series of processes must be performed as described may try to select and download desired content. Then, the server displays a menu that requests a user ID and password. The user inputs an arbitrary ID and password and then downloads a selected song to the portable player (18) or to the user's computer.
If the user downloads the content to the computer, it is impossible to reproduce the downloaded content because the player for reproducing the downloaded content is not downloaded. Therefore, the user downloads (20) the player, installs (22) the player, and then tries to reproduce the content, using the dedicated player (24) or portable player (18). However, the content downloaded from the site server is encrypted, and a process in which the user computer or portable player (18) receives the encryption key to decipher the encrypted content from the site server has not been performed. Therefore, the player (24) installed in the user's computer or the portable player (18) cannot reproduce the encrypted content.
As described above, in the conventional method, it is difficult to sequentially perform the series of processes in which an encryption key is downloaded and stored, a computer-dedicated player is installed, and the encrypted content is received and reproduced. Therefore, the conventional method has caused much annoyance.